Say hello to our new neonatal and postnatal support nurses who will be on our maternity wards shortly, looking after newborns who need extra care. 
Working in addition to existing midwife-to-patient ratios, the nurses will focus on providing care to newborns who may need treatment like antibiotics to treat infection or light therapy for jaundice, while midwives attend to the mother’s care. These extra pairs of hands means that newborns won’t need to go to the special care nursery, staying with their mums for bonding, cuddles and breastfeeding.
Our new neonatal and postnatal support nurses were all recruited from within Western Health and have expressed interest in exploring a career in midwifery or neonatal care. They’re supported in this new model of care through a comprehensive orientation and education program, as well as a dedicated peer support program.
Nurse Inma joined Western Health from palliative community care nursing through our Transition to Acute Care program, going on to work in our acute aged care ward. Inma studied midwifery 20 years ago in the UK and although she didn’t finish the qualification, she was able to apply some of the learning as she started her own family
“Knowing about birthing, bonding and breastfeeding helped me with my own three children. This program helps me get back to my interest in midwifery but in a very supported way,” Inma says.
Colleague Ash also sees her new role as a pathway to midwifery or neonatal intensive care. She’s worked in Sunshine Hospital’s emergency department for a number of years but an experience with her newborn daughter in the special care nursery shaped this next step in her career.
“When my daughter Ariella was born, she needed to go to special care nursery because I had a maternal infection during labour that can pose a risk of sepsis to newborns. It meant we weren’t together in the same room in those first few days, with me going back and forth to the special care nursery multiple times a day while recovering from birth.
“This new model of care means we’ll be able to keep more mothers and babies together in the same room, with everyone getting the care they need.”
The neonatal and postnatal support nurse roles are part of a pilot program, coordinated by Safer Care Victoria in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF).
